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When you think about switching jobs in IT, you might picture a step up the ladder:ÌýaÌýbigger title, a bigger team, a bigger paycheck. But career growthÌýdoesn’tÌýalways move in a straight line upward. A lateral career moveÌýcan be just as valuable to your long-term career as a promotion, especially in a field that changes as fast as ITÌýdoes.

Lateral moves happenÌýinÌýnearly everyÌýfield, and many professionalsÌýconsider a career changeÌýfor reasons that have nothing to do with a bigger title. In IT specifically, moving sideways into a new role or a new company can open doors thatÌýyouÌýwon’tÌýalways see if youÌýwaitÌýaround for a promotion.

It may feel uncomfortable to leave one job for another that looks like a stepÌýto the sideÌýinstead of a step up.ÌýBut aÌýseemingly lateralÌýmove can end up being an essential part of advancing your overall career, particularly in IT, where the tools, platforms, and in-demand skills are constantly evolving.ÌýHere’sÌýwhat to know about when a lateral move makes sense, how it differs from a promotion, and how to make the most of such a move.

What Is a Lateral Career Move?

A lateral career move typically meansÌýa moveÌýinto a different role, team, department, or company at a similar level of responsibility,ÌýratherÌýthanÌýa moveÌýinto a position with a bigger title or more oversight.ÌýIt’sÌýnot necessarily a step backward. In fact,Ìýit’sÌýoften a step in a new direction that helps youÌýdevelopÌýskills, gain exposure to new systems, or move closer toÌýlong-term goalsÌýthat your current roleÌýcan’tÌýget you to.

In IT,ÌýmakingÌýa lateral move might mean shifting into an adjacent technical specialty, learning to work with new systems or platforms, or moving to an organization that offers stronger training and advancement opportunities than your current one. The title on your business cardÌýmightÌýlookÌýaboutÌýthe sameÌýas it did before.ÌýThe experience behindÌýtheÌýtitleÌýcan lookÌývery different.

Lateral MovesÌývs. Vertical Moves

It helps to know the difference between the two. A vertical move is a promotionÌýthat includesÌýaÌýhigher title, more responsibility, and often a bigger team to manage. A lateral move usually keeps you at a similar level or title, but it can offer something a promotionÌýdoesn’tÌýalways provide, like new technical skills, a new team, exposure to new systems, or better long-term growth potential.Ìý

Neither type of move is inherently better than the other. Sometimes the smartest path forward in IT is aÌýsidewaysÌýstepÌýthat sets you up to advance later, with a stronger and more well-rounded set of skills toÌýconfront new challenges.

Internal vs. External Lateral Moves in IT

Not every lateral move means changing companies. Moving laterally within your current organization—say, from a help desk role into a systems administration team—lets you keep the institutional knowledge and relationshipsÌýyou’veÌýalready built while still gaining new experience.

An external lateral move—shifting into a similar-level role at a different company—can offer something an internal move oftenÌýcan’t:Ìýexposure to new systems, tools, benefits, workplace cultures, and advancement paths. NeitherÌýoptionÌýis automatically the better choice. It comes down to whether your current employer can offer theÌýcareerÌýgrowthÌýyou’reÌýlooking for or whether you needÌýa new environmentÌýto find it.Ìý

When to Make a Lateral Career Move in IT

IfÌýyou’reÌýstarting to feel likeÌýyou’veÌýplateaued in your current role or at your current company, it might be time for a change. If youÌýhaven’tÌýyet gained the experience or theÌýIT educationÌýneededÌýto move into a bigger role, a promotion may not be realistic just yet, andÌýthat’sÌýexactly where a lateral move can help. A lateral move in ITÌýmakesÌýsense when it offers something your current roleÌýcan’t:Ìýnew skills, mentorship, exposure toÌýnew technologies, or a clearer path to advancement.Ìý

A lateral move might be right for you if any of the followingÌýsituationsÌýsound familiar:

You Need New Technical Skills

A new role—evenÌýa lateral one—canÌýopenÌýopportunities to learn that your currentÌýjobÌýsimplyÌýdoesn’tÌýoffer.ÌýThe newÌýroleÌýmight provide certification support or professional development inÌýareasÌýlike cybersecurity, cloud computing, data analytics, software development, systems administration, or networking. BuildingÌýin-demand IT skillsÌýin aÌýspecialty can make you a stronger, more versatile technology professional over time, and it can make you more competitive for the promotionÌýyou’reÌýultimately after.

You Need Better Opportunities to Advance

Start-ups and smaller IT teamsÌýdon’tÌýalways have the infrastructure to promote people quickly, simply because thereÌýaren’tÌýas many rungs on the ladder. Making a lateral move to a larger organization can meanÌýgainingÌýaccess to bigger technical teams, more specialized roles, stronger mentorship programs, and more established training budgets.

Research backs this up: One study from Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business found thatÌýÌýand tend to see larger wage growth than employees who stay in place.ÌýThat’sÌýinÌýpartÌýbecause the move helps them build a broader, more diverse set of skills.Ìý

As youÌýweighÌýyour options, it also helps to understand howÌýIT job titles and career pathsÌýfitÌýtogetherÌýso you have a clearer sense of what a future role and its responsibilities would actually look like before you commit.

You Need New Networking and Mentorship OpportunitiesÌý

If you have a dream role,Ìýit’sÌýhelpful to connect with those already there, and thatÌýmightÌýmeanÌýmoving closer to where they work.ÌýWithout the right mentors in your corner, your ability to grow and advance can stall out. A lateral move can put you in closer contact with a cybersecurity team, a cloud team, a data team, or IT leaders who can help you understand what your next step should look like, andÌýhaving a mentorÌýin your corner can make a real difference in how quickly you grow. The key to getting the most out of a lateral move is to treat everyÌýnewÌýjob as a chance to learn, not just a paycheck.

Personal and Professional Growth

Apply whatÌýyou’veÌýlearned inÌýpreviousÌýroles to your next one, butÌýdon’tÌýstop there. Be proactive about seeking out learning opportunitiesÌýin your new role. Some IT organizations are willing to invest inÌýtrainingÌýemployeesÌýonÌýnew coding languages, system and network configuration, or security practices. Making a lateral move to one of these employers can help you grow technically while also giving you broader context across systems and teams, insteadÌýofÌýyouÌýjust going deeper into one narrow specialty.

GrowthÌýisn’tÌýjust technical, either. With each lateral move,Ìýyou’llÌýwork alongside different people, which gives you a chance to build your teamwork, communication, and leadership skills. Make yourself invaluable by adapting to your new workplace’s culture, staying open toÌýnew information, andÌýremainingÌýflexible. IT teams areÌýinÌýbusy, collaborative environments, soÌýyou’llhave plenty of chances to sharpen these transferable skills by working on diverse teams, partnering with nontechnical stakeholders, troubleshooting under pressure, and stepping up to lead projects when theÌýopportunitiesÌýarise.

Benefits of a Lateral Career Move in IT

Beyond the personal and professional growth that a lateral move can offer, there are some concrete benefits worth weighing, too:

• Compensation and total benefits:ÌýA lateral moveÌýdoesn’tÌýalways come with a raise, butÌýit’sÌýworth looking at total compensation, not just salary. A new role might offer a stronger benefits package, better healthcare coverage, more paid time off, a stronger retirement match, or remote and hybrid flexibility that your current roleÌýdoesn’t.
• Long-term advancement potential:ÌýA bigger company may offer more structured career paths and internal mobility than a smaller one, while a smaller, fast-growing company might let you take on more responsibility faster than a larger organization would.
• Room to stand out:ÌýJoining a smaller or newer IT team can give you more opportunities to make a visible impact and be recognized for it, compared with being one of many specialists on a large,ÌýestablishedÌýteam.
• Stronger long-term wage growth:ÌýAs noted above, research on career trajectories has found that employees who make lateral moves tend to see larger wage growth over time than those who don’t, likely because the broader skillÌýsetÌýthatÌýthey build along the way makes them more valuable down the road.

Examples of Lateral Career Moves in IT

Lateral moves in IT can take a lot of different shapes depending on your background and goals. A few common examples include:Ìý

• Help deskÌýtoÌýsystems administration:ÌýMoving from frontline technical support into managing servers, networks, and systems infrastructure.
• IT support to cybersecurity:ÌýShifting from general troubleshooting into a security-focused role, like security operations or vulnerability management.
• Systems administration to cloud computing:ÌýApplying existing infrastructure knowledge to a cloud platform team, such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud environments.
• Network administration to IT project management:ÌýTaking hands-on technical experience and applying it to planning, coordinating, and overseeing technology projects and teams.Ìý

How to Make a Smart Lateral Career Move in IT

A lateral move works best whenÌýit’sÌýintentional rather than impulsive. Before you make the jump, it helps to:

1. Assess your current role honestly.ÌýAre you plateaued, underchallenged, or missing opportunities to grow where you are?
2. IdentifyÌýyour skill gaps.ÌýFigure out which technical or transferable skillsÌýyou’reÌýmissing for the role or industry you want to move toward.
3. Research the role and the company.ÌýLook into the team, the manager, the tools they use, and the growth opportunities they actually offer, not just the job title.
4. Talk to mentors and people already in the role.ÌýAsk what they wishÌýthey’dÌýknown before making a similar move.
5. Weigh training and development opportunities.ÌýA role with strong professional developmentÌýsupportÌýand opportunities for continuous learningÌýcan be worthÌýmore longÌýtermÌýthan a slightly higher starting salary.
6. Evaluate total compensation, not just base pay.ÌýFactor inÌýhealthcare,Ìýbenefits, flexibility, bonuses, and advancement potential before you decide.

Move Sideways, but Keep Looking Up

A lateral career moveÌýisn’tÌýa step backward. In a field like IT, where technology and in-demand skills shift constantly, it can be one of the smartest ways to build a broader, more resilient skill set, expand your network, andÌýbetterÌýpositionÌýyourselfÌýfor the promotion you actually want down the road.

If you’re ready to build the technical foundation to support your next move, whether that’s lateral or vertical, WGU’sÌýonline IT degree programsÌýcan help you gain the in-demand skills that employers are looking for—all on a flexible schedule that fits around your current job.Ìý

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a lateral career move?

A lateral career move is a shift into a different role, team, department, or company at a similar level of responsibility, rather than a move into a higher-level position.

Is a lateral move worth it in IT?

It can be, especially if it helps you build new technical skills, gain access to better mentorship or training, or move toward a company with stronger long-term advancement opportunities than your current one.

How is a lateral move different from a promotion?Ìý

A promotion, or vertical move, typically comes with a higher title and more responsibility.ÌýWithÌýaÌýlateral move, youÌýusuallyÌýstay at a similar level,ÌýbutÌýthe new roleÌýcan offerÌýskills, teams, or opportunitiesÌýfor career successÌýthat a promotionÌýmight not.

Does a lateral move hurt long-term salary?

NotÌýusually. Research on career trajectories has found that employees who make lateral moves tend to see larger wage growth and more promotions over time than those whoÌýdon’tÌýmove at all.Ìý

How often should you consider a lateral moveÌýinÌýIT?Ìý

There’sÌýno set timeline.ÌýIt’sÌýless about how much time has passed and more about whether your current role still offers room to grow. IfÌýyou’veÌýplateaued technically or professionally, it may be worth exploring a lateral move.